April 23 2017
Two men have been arrested after a stolen car was set on fire and driven into a house in Larne, Co Antrim.
The pair, aged 34 and 24, are being questioned by detectives in connection with the incident, which happened in the Killyglen Road area of the town on Sunday afternoon.
Neighbours of the family spoke of their shock at the incident. They described how they heard people shouting followed by a number of loud bangs when the silver Peugeot car went up in flames outside the house before 5pm.
“It’s heartbreaking that this has happened,” one neighbour said.
“It’s meant to be a quiet Sunday and there are plenty of kids playing in the area and then this happens.
“I heard two loud bangs and went outside and saw the car up in flames. It was very scary as we didn’t know where it could spread to. We could feel the heat meters away.”
The residential area was bustling with children and locals walking their dogs while others looked on in disbelief.
It is the latest arson attack in the town, which East Antrim Ulster Unionist MLA Roy Beggs said had “all the hallmarks of a tit-for-tat attack between feuding criminals”
“Another car has been set on fire and, with the risk of an exploding petrol tank, homes have been endangered along with the lives of local residents”, he said.
“I would urge the public who may have seen anyone involved in these ongoing attacks or anything suspicious to report information to the PSNI.”
Meanwhile Sinn Fein’s Oliver McMullan has called for robust action from the PSNI.
The former MLA said: “I totally condemn this latest incident in Larne during which a car was driven into a house.
“Thankfully no one was injured but it is clear that the situation is getting out of hand.
“We need to see robust action from the PSNI to tackle those involved in this criminality immediately before someone is seriously injured or perhaps worse.”
Belfast Telegraph Digital
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